The iPhone 6: A rumour roundup

This evening, Apple will reveal the iPhone 6, among other products. As usual, the Internet is abuzz with expectations. SEAN BACHER rounds up some of the major rumours, which he will update with the facts as the launch gets underway in California at 7pm GMT.

Journalists, analysts and millions of consumers are all eagerly waiting to see what Apple has in store with the announcement of the iPhone 6 and possible unveiling of an iWatch, along with mobile payments and verification solutions.

Questions around display, memory, processor and battery of the iPhone 6 – one or two devices – are just a few people want answered. Below are some of the rumours churning up the Internet.

The Rumours

Rumour: Apple will be launching two models, the iPhone 6 and an iPhone 6 Plus.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: They will sport a sapphire glass display – making them more durable than the iPhone 5S’s Gorilla Glass.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: Both will be considerably thinner than their predecessors and will sport rounded edges like the iPad Air and iPad Mini.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: A better, dual-LED True Tone flash will be built into the iPhone 6 and 6L, but Apple will stick with the standard 8MP camera.

Fact: Spot on. An 8-megapixel rear camera with True Tone flash, 1.5um pixels, f/2.2 aperture and phase detect auto focus. The iPhone 6 Plus will only offer image stabilisation.

What about video recording? The iPhone 6 offers a resolution of 1080p at 30fps either or 60fps, plus slow motion up to 240fps (up from 120fps in the iPhone 5s)

Rumour: The phones run on iOS 8.

Fact: Spot on. Both phones will use iOS 8, which adds improved messaging, notification widgets and a new health app.

Rumour: Although Apple has not moved the home button, it has made the Touch ID fingerprint sensor more durable than that of the iPhone 5S.

Fact: Not confirmed yet, but double-tap the TouchID button to bring the top of the screen closer to your thumb – ideal for smaller hands

The iPhone 6:

Rumour: The iPhone 6 will feature a 4.7″ display with a resolution of 1134×750 and a 326 pixel-per-inch (PPI) density.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: The iPhone 6 is expected to be 6.9mm thick, 138mm long, and 66mm wide.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: The iPhone 6 will be powered by a quad-core A8 processor, giving it a considerable boost over the 1.3GHz dual-core processor used in the 5S.

Fact: Apple A8 CPU, 20nm process, 64-bit. 25% faster than iPhone 5s, 50% more energy efficient

Rumour: This iPhone 6 will still feature 1GB of RAM.

Fact: The iPhone 6 features 2GB of RAM.

Rumour: The iPhone 6 will come in 32, 64 and 128GB storage configurations. The 5 comes in 16, 32 and 64GB configurations.

Fact: Spot on. More photos, music and video for iPhone 6 users.

Rumour: It will have a more powerful battery: 1810 mAh, slightly up from 1560 on the 5S.

Fact: Battery life is looking good: 11hrs video playback for the iPhone6, 14 for the Plus thanks to M8 motion co-processor

Rumour: The iPhone 6 will feature NFC (near field communications), which allows for payments, file transfer or streaming with the tap of the phone against another NFC-enabled device.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: The iPhone 6 will incorporate 20 LTE bands for global coverage.

Fact: It offers LTE at 150MBps, over 20 LTE bands for global 4G coverage and VoLTE for Wi-Fi calling – plus 802.11ac if your router supports it

Rumour: It will be available in three colours.

Fact: Spot on. It will come in gold, silver and space grey.

Rumour: The iPhone 6 will be in stores in the USA on 19 September, in South Africa early December.

Fact: Spot on. Start saving.

The iPhone 6 Plus:

Rumour: The larger iPhone will have a 5.5″ display with a resolution of 1920×1080 and a 401ppi density.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumpour: The iPhone 6 Plus is expected to be 7.1mm thick, 158mm long, and 78mm wide.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: The camera will include Optical Image Stabilization

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: It will have a much larger battery than the 4.7″ version, at 2915 mAh

Fact: Spot on.

Other features:

* The Apple iPhone 6 Plus lets you see even more content in a new landscape view.

*It has a barometer that senses air pressure to measure relative elevation.

*Apple iPhone 6 is better at detecting faces: burst mode detects smiles and blinks, then recommends the best picture.

* A predictive keyboard learns your conversation style and helps you answer accordingly.

* The new Health app in iOS 8 gives you a detailed look at your health and fitness data.

* iOS 8 is supported on most Apple iPhones and iPads and is available as a free download from September 17.

* With 802.11ac, iPhone 6 Wi-Fi speeds are up to three times faster than iPhone 5s.

* Wi-Fi calling is a new feature for making high-quality calls when cell conditions are poor.

* Time-lapse video and cinematic video stabilization on iPhone 6.

* FaceTime HD camera has new sensor and larger ƒ/2.2 aperture that lets in over 80% more light.

* iOS 8 available as a free download from September 17, for iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, and 5S. Ships with 6 and 6 Plus.

Apple iWatch:

Rumour: Apple will launch a stylish smart watch linked to the iPhone 6.

Fact: Spot on.

Rumour: The iWatch will be waterproof and have a flexible AMOLED screen.

Fact: Spot on. The Apple Watch has a flexible retina display, laminated to sapphire glass. It can detect the difference between a tap and a press.

Rumour: The watch will act as a health companion.

Fact: It’s a comprehensive health and fitness companion.

Additional information about the Apple Watch:

* It uses a Digital Crown that answers the fundamental challenge of how to magnify content on a small display.

* With the Digital Crown, you can scroll, zoom, and navigate Apple Watch without covering the display.

* Infrared and visible-light LEDs, along with photosensors, detect your pulse rate.

* An iPhone will be needed to pair an Apple Watch.

Mobile payments

Rumour: With NFC capabilities and the fact that Apple has partnered with three big credit card companies, iPhone 6 users will be able to make mobile payments directly from the phone and perhaps even the watch.

Fact: Spot on. Apple calls it Apple Pay.

Rumour: The phones will feature payment via fingerprint confirmation.

Fact: Spot on. Also, when you add a card to Passbook, its number is never stored or shared on your device or Apple servers, so no need to worry about anyone gaining access to your credit card details.

Rumour: Apple has partnered with three major credit card companies.

Fact: Spot on: Apple Pay will work with American Express, MasterCard, and Visa.

Rumour: Apple’s share price will rocket after the launch.

Fact: TBA

Rumour: Apple’s share price will plummet after the launch.

Fact: TBA

Additional details about Apple Pay:

* Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique number and it generates a dynamic security code, replacing the static security code from the back of your card.

* The cashier doesn’t see your name, your card number, or your security code and Apple doesn’t know what you bought, where you bought it, or how much you paid for it.

* Sean Bacher is editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter on @SeanBacher

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